Judge James R. Spencer

Judge James R. Spencer

Associated Press

The senior U.S. district judge has mostly ruled against the McDonnells on pretrial matters, and rejected the couple’s request for separate trials. He served as an assistant federal prosecutor before President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the federal judgeship in 1986.

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Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, left, walks to his corruption trial at U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond.

Getty Images

A former GOP vice-presidential hopeful, he served as a state legislator and attorney general before being elected governor of Virginia in November 2009. His signature accomplishment as governor was winning bipartisan approval of the first major overhaul of state transportation funding in 25 years.

The indictment against the couple alleges Mr. McDonnell used his office to promote a dietary supplement business then known as Star Scientific Inc. by arranging meetings for founder Jonnie Williams Sr. with state officials and hosting events at the governor’s mansion. Mr. McDonnell’s attorney John Brownlee said in his opening statement July 29 that Mrs. McDonnell was lonely and uncomfortable in her role as first lady, and developed a relationship with Mr. Williams.

“Mrs. McDonnell’s resentment, anger and sadness grew as their marriage fell apart,” Mr. Brownlee told jurors. “She said she hated [Mr. McDonnell], she was angry for not having what she thought was enough money.” “This broke their marriage apart and it created a rift so wide that an outsider—in this case, another man—could invade and poison a marriage.”

Mr. McDonnell testified on Aug. 20 that his wife, Maureen, was showing the strain of becoming first lady within hours of his election. On Aug. 22, Mr. McDonnell testified that he never offered by “wink, nod” or explicit promise to Mr. Williams in exchange for $177,000 in gifts and loans, but said he blamed himself for the events that “crushed” his family and brought him and his wife to a federal courtroom on corruption charges.

On Aug. 25, prosecutors challenged Mr. McDonnell’s testimony that he was unaware of his wife’s close relationship with Mr. Williams, and that she was soliciting gifts and loans. When asked if his wife had a history of making inappropriate requests of family and friends for money, Mr. McDonnell said yes. Prosecutors also showed emails to establish that he controlled family finances, even while occupied with governing.

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Maureen McDonnell

Former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell, center, and attorneys Heather Martin, left, and William Burck, right, head to the federal courthouse Aug. 22.

Associated Press

The former first lady of Virginia handled security clearances for the State Department before meeting her future husband at a party in 1973. According to the indictment against the McDonnells, Mrs. McDonnell repeatedly discussed the couple’s financial difficulties with Jonnie Williams Sr., asking for two $50,000 loans, one $20,000 loan and an additional $15,000 to help with their daughter’s wedding expenses. Mrs. McDonnell, who has been married to Mr. McDonnell for 38 years, wasn’t named on the potential witness list and didn’t testify.

Mrs. McDonnell’s attorney William Burck said his client was duped by Mr. Williams. On July 29, he characterized the foundation of the McDonnells’ marriage as broken, despite appearances while they lived in the executive mansion from 2010 to January 2014.

”This made it so easy for Jonnie Williams to swoop in and fill the void in Maureen’s life,” Mr. Burck said. “She admired Jonnie Williams and had affection for him. You’ll even hear evidence that she had a crush on him.”

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Jonnie Williams Sr.

Jonnie Williams

Associated Press

The former chief executive of a dietary-supplement business is the government’s star witness and has been granted immunity to testify. He said in court July 31 that he gave loans and lavish presents to the former governor and his wife, Maureen, solely to get their help in pressing public universities to study an untested new product, a tobacco-based anti-inflammatory product called Anatabloc. Mr. Williams, who spent more than $150,000 on the McDonnells, according to prosecutors, said he had heartburn about some of the gifts, including a $7,000 Rolex watch.

“It was a bad decision on my part to buy that watch when she asked,” Mr. Williams said. “I shouldn’t have had to buy things like that to get the help that I needed…I knew it was wrong.”

Mr. Williams supported Mr. McDonnell’s gubernatorial campaign in 2009 and the governor’s leadership PAC afterwards, donating $100,000 in private airplane travel to the two endeavors, according to state records. He is no longer the head of Star Scientific, which changed its name last month to Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals Inc.

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Here are other players in the trial, and what they’ve said so far:

James Burke: A professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, he spent several months working as a consultant to improve the relationship between Maureen McDonnell and governor’s office employees–blunting a January 2012 attempt by her staff to walk out en masse. On Aug. 20, he testified that he tried to help Mrs. McDonnell handle her fears about public speaking and other responsibilities in ways other than speaking harshly to employees, but he eventually decided to put his time toward “more fruitful” endeavors. He also said he told Mr. McDonnell in February 2012 that his wife suffered from anxiety and possible depression.

Brenda Chamberlain: The McDonnell family bookkeeper was hired in 2009 to track the finances of a real-estate partnership owned by Mr. McDonnell and one of his sisters. She testified Aug. 18 that Mr. McDonnell never hesitated to give her online access to his bank accounts, and he always answered her questions. She did acknowledge, though, under cross-examination by prosecutors, that she was flummoxed when Mr. McDonnell asked for a copy of her “standard confidentiality agreement.” The request was made just after the federal investigation into the McDonnells began, according to a timeline presented by prosecutors. (The real-estate partnership was struggling during the economic downturn, and prosecutors say the McDonnells took secret loans from Mr. Williams to help keep it afloat.)

Dr. William Hazel: The Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources said in court he was aware of a proposal by Mr. Williams to test Anatabloc on state employees and that he never considered the idea. The testimony may help reinforce the government’s assertion that Mr. McDonnell, as governor, played an active role in helping Mr. Williams.

Janet Kelly: The secretary of the commonwealth under Mr. McDonnell said in court Aug. 18 that while she was personally fond of the former first lady and reluctant to bash her any further, she had known about Mrs. McDonnell’s “challenging behavior” and took the job only after receiving assurances she wouldn’t have to deal with her.

“There are two sides to Maureen,” said Mr. McDonnell’s sister. “Sometimes you’re not sure which one is going to show up. She can be very sweet and very tender. The other side of Maureen can be manipulative, can be very deceptive. I’ve seen her hide things from Bob, and try to work a situation to her benefit and not to be truthful about that.”

She also talked about how the McDonnell marriage went “from bad to worse” after Mr. McDonnell was elected, how her brother was trying to “get help” for his wife, and also called Mrs. McDonnell “a vitamin nut.”

Sarah Scarbrough heads into the federal courthouse Aug. 6.

Associated Press

Sarah Scarbrough: The director of the governor’s mansion for much of Mr. McDonnell’s term and a friend of their daughter, she testified seemed like a very happy, in-love couple.” The testimony is contrary to the defense’s argument that the couple’s marriage had deteriorated. She also said in court that Mrs. McDonnell was the impetus behind n August 2011 reception held at the governor’s mansion to launch Star Scientific’s new product, Anatabloc, and that it was unusual to use the mansion, operated under state funds, to launch a product for a private company. Under cross-examination, she said several receptions were held at the mansion over the years that catered to private firms.

Todd Schneider:Although he wasn’t on the witness list, Mr. Schneider — who was fired as executive chef at the governor’s mansion amid an investigation of alleged improprieties — provided information to authorities that helped fuel the case against the McDonnells. He told authorities that the star witness in the trial, Mr. Williams, paid him $15,000 to cater the wedding reception of one of the couple’s daughters. Facing felony embezzlement charges that he took food from the mansion’s kitchen for use by his catering business, he pleaded no contest to reduced charges and was ordered to pay $2,300 in restitution.

Mary-Shea Sutherland: In court, Mrs. McDonnell’s former chief of staff acknowledged calling the former first lady a “nutbag” who excitedly accepted the gifts that Mr. Williams lavished on her, and said she saw no signs of marital woes. She quit in 2011. According to court records, she was trying to get Mr. Williams to hire her away from the state job.

Jeanine McDonnell Zubowsky: The eldest daughter of the McDonnells testified Aug. 27 that her parents’ marriage was “touchy-feely” in public but cold and troubled behind closed doors. She said she was uncomfortable with Mr. Williams’s largess and eventually returned a $10,000 wedding gift.

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